The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)
Written & Directed: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Helen Hunt, Dan Akroyd, Charlize Theron
The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion is the latest attempt from Woody Allen, and as a one-sentence review that just about does it. This movie is very Woody; if you like his brand of humour I am confident you will enjoy this movie. However if you don’t get into the Woody movies in general your mileage may vary with this one.
The comedy of this movie is very dialogue driven; it’s a cavalcade of Woody-ism in that regard. You know what I mean: "I look wide eyedthrough these glasses of mine and prattle on in this whiney and vaguely annoying manner, and you know, stumble over a few words here and there, s-s-s-stammer a little and drop sporadic bits and pieces of sexual innuendo while I wave my hands from side to side and work my way towards a wierd kind of psuedo-punchline that somehow manages to be ironic, silly, predictable yet humorous, witty in a manner of speaking, providing a biting and cynical yet ultimately charitable insight on the human condition. All at the same time. Oy vey!"
But don’t get me wrong. I like Woody Allen’s style of comedy more then I hate it. It’s just that I hadn’t seen anything by him, recent or otherwise, for quite some time. As a result I found the first ten or so minutes of this movie excruciating. And wow, is he getting old. But once I relaxed and just let go, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Although I think this has something to do with the movie, not just me. In terms of scripting, acting, and directing, the whole thing seemed to suddenly lift ten or so minutes into the movie. It seemed like Woody and the actors took a little while to get into it the flow, took a while for them to get with their character and direction and the story itself.
And speaking of plot, yes this movie actually does have one. It’s set in 1940, with Woody Allen playing the role of CW Briggs, an aging investigator for an insurance firm owned by a certain Chris Magruder (Dan Akroyd). Briggs is the kind of investigator who gets things solved more by luck and intuition then any other virtue. He finds his world turned upside down by the arrival at the firm of consultant Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt), an "efficiency expert". She’s smart, quick witted, intimidating, and many other things he has trouble with in women. Things get complicated when they are hypnotised by a stage magicion and millions of dollars get stolen from clients of their insurance firm, apparently by insiders. Thus at the base of the movie a light-hearted who-done-it caper. But it many ways this aspect is not given much play. For example the actual heist scenes consist of one or two shots of a safe being opened, a hand reaching in, and that’s it. Most of the action is contained by the bizarre love triangle that Allen, Hunt, and Akroyd wind up in. Hunt and Akroyd are having an affair. But Allen and Hunt love-hate each other on site, and spend most of the movie insulting each other as a way to get to know each other ... Oh no, I’m trying to analyse a Woody Allen movie ... got to ... resist ... control ...
OK. Look, this is a Woody Allen comedy. It’s got the quirky verbal humour. It’s got the subtle visual humour. It not the funniest he’s ever made, but it’s got style. The dialogue is reminiscent of the dry-humour and wit who-done-it movies that where made back around the same time that this movie is set. It’s fun if you like that kind of thing. Also the set design is incredibly detailed and realistic; truely one of the best movies I’ve ever seen in that regard. The acting is good, with a few very experienced actors and a bunch of small-time but very competent players (for example the workmate George played by Wallace Shawn who most will remember as Vizzini the megalomanic Scillian villian in The Princess Bride) putting in solid performances. All things considered, I’m going to have to give this latest Woody attempt three and a half skulls. It would have got four, but the ending was too cheesey.
Matt
